Curious if anybody out there knows how to go about getting a hard copy of FAA publication FAA-H-8083-17 - "Parachute Rigger Handbook". I've been told the only source for a hard copy is RI. This seems strange to me since by all appearances this is an official FAA publication.

Shouldn't something put out by the government - ie paid for in part by taxpayer money - be available to any retailer to buy and resell?

It's easy to see that RI put a lot of work into this book. Were they paid by the FAA for this work? Anybody know if there is a way to find out?

Did you do that? If so, I'd be curious to know the cost. I asked a different place that does printing and they said that because of the number of pages and the large number of color illustrations, the cost would be over $200. I've been happy with a digital copy rather than a hardcopy since then.

Did you do that? If so, I'd be curious to know the cost. I asked a different place that does printing and they said that because of the number of pages and the large number of color illustrations, the cost would be over $200. I've been happy with a digital copy rather than a hardcopy since then.

You're probably right. I just checked and Staples in Canada wants 49 cents a page for colour copying. $168 for the whole manual at that price.

I skipped the color and had it printed in black and white, front/back and spiral bound at my local Officemax for it think around $23. This option let's me fold it flat for usage on the sewing machines and when doing different things. The color option is nice but for the use of it I figured black and white was goodmenough and if I need color I'll just fire the computer up and look at the PDF.

Or you can take the USAPR course and get a copy which is included in the course cost. Got my first copy from Sandy at the PIA in Barcelona. The spiral binder original is on a good solid paper and as it is on a spiral it can be used flat while working without pages turning. I wouldn't print it out myself in order to respect the author.

The original author was paid by the FAA and it is published via the FAA printing office. thisis the same as the latest edition of the FAR's or even the latest round of advisory circulars that is published. The FAA puts the PDF out with the hopes of getting people to print and use it.

Don't worry about voiding copyright if you print it off your computer. The author has already been paid. The FAA released the manual - to the public - via the internet because they do not want the hassle of shipping tons of paperwork.

This is the same dilemma that I discussed with Dan Poynter - a decade ago. When I offered to help Dan P write "Volume 3" he scratched his head and said that he had not figured out how to publish "Volume 3" on-line, because he believed that paper manuals had gone the way of the dinosaur.